Tackling greenwashing via the Green Claims Directive is essential to protect consumers and the environment
The Green Claims Directive initiative, expected to be adopted in 2025, seeks to safeguard consumers against misleading claims, while also fostering fair competition and promoting genuine advancements in sustainability.
The challenges consumers face in deciphering environmental claims and labels is summed up by the European Commission on its website:
“Today it is difficult for consumers to make sense of the many labels on the environmental performance of products (both goods and services) and companies. Some environmental claims are unreliable, and consumers' trust in them is extremely low. Consumers can be misled, and companies can give a false impression of their environmental impacts or benefits - a practice known as greenwashing. With a proposed new law on green claims, the EU is taking action to address greenwashing and protect consumers, and the environment. Ensuring that environmental labels and claims are credible and trustworthy will allow consumers to make better-informed purchasing decisions. It will also boost the competitiveness of businesses striving to increase the environmental sustainability of their products and activities.”[1]
Steel for Packaging Europe (SfPE) strongly supports this commitment to ensure that environmental claims are substantiated, fact-based and based on reliable, up-to-date data.
Scrutinising Life Cycle Assessment Studies on Packaging
In line with our dedication to evidence-based sustainability communication, SfPE and Metal Packaging Europe (MPE) reviewed two studies conducted by IFEU[2], comparing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of various food packaging formats, namely multi-layer cartons and steel cans. Given the significant implications of such findings for consumer perception and industry practices, SfPE and MPE commissioned an independent third-party review[3] to assess the studies’ alignment with key standards:
- ISO 14040-44 for Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),
- ISO 14026 for environmental footprint communication,
and the EU’s proposed Green Claims Directive.
Third-Party Review Findings
The independent review identified critical limitations in data quality, including an outdated proxy for steel cans and an exaggeration of carton recycling credits. The report conclusion states: “In our opinion, there are some relevant limitations on data quality and methodology that could negatively affect the reliability and robustness of comparisons for the analysed packaging systems.”
For full details, the full third-party review of the IFEU studies is available here.
Reaffirming Our Commitment to Transparent Environmental Claims
SfPE and MPE reaffirm the importance of transparency and accuracy in environmental claims. Misinformation not only misleads consumers but also hinders efforts to enhance sustainability across the packaging sector. We call on industry stakeholders to ensure that claims are thoroughly substantiated, adhere to internationally recognized standards, and are communicated with integrity.
Our shared goal is to empower consumers with accurate information that enables informed decisions, fosters trust, and supports meaningful progress toward environmental sustainability.
The European steel industry, a leader in recyclability and circularity, is candid about its challenges and is undergoing a transformative shift in primary production processes to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. With ambitious CO2 emissions reduction targets set for 2030, this industry-wide initiative ensures that steel remains a cornerstone of a low-carbon and circular economy, including for packaging.
[1] https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
[2] IFEU, 2017. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of shelf stable canned food packaging, Final Report. Heidelberg, December 2017. IFEU, 2020. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment of Tetra Pak® carton packages and alternative packaging systems for beverages and liquid food on the European market. Final report. Heidelberg, March 9, 2020 (extended version with further specific supplements for selected EU countries).